PHYTOCHEMICAL SOCIETY OF EUROPE
(http://www.phytochemicalsociety.org)
GUIDELINES FOR THE ORGANISATION OF INTERNATIONAL PSE SYMPOSIA
(last change: November, 2005)
1. INTRODUCTION
These notes are being sent to you because you have agreed to organise a meeting on behalf of the PSE. They are intended to act as a guide to help you with the scheduling and structure of the programme. As such, they are intended neither to be exhaustive nor to lay down a rigid set of rules. Rather, their role is to assist by indicating:
- • How to publicise the meeting
- • The overall time-course of the organisation, based on previous experience
- • The structure of the programme
- • Financing the meeting
Please note that there are some obligations regarding the financing of your meeting (see section 4).
The notes contain a time-course to indicate when certain actions should be taken, followed by sections giving further detail on specific activities related to running the meeting. Your suggestions as to places where these notes should be clarified or improved are most welcome.
Liaison between the Conference Organising Committee and the PSE Committee can occur at any time. You will find contact details of the PSE Committee members at the end of these notes. The PSE Committee meets twice a year in spring (April/May) and autumn (September/October) and you will be asked to prepare a short report on the status of your organisation for each of these sessions. A member of the PSE Committee will be appointed to be responsible for liaison (the PSE Liaison Officer) and, occasionally, an organiser may be asked to attend the Committee meeting in person.
The Meetings Secretary will provide you with a disk containing examples of the various documents that you will need to prepare, including the programme, the poster, etc.
You are requested now to ensure that the Meetings Secretary has your correct full details, including phone, fax and e-mail numbers.
2. PUBLICITY FOR THE MEETING
A key point in organising a successful meeting is giving the appropriate publicity. The Meetings are advertised by the PSE in the following ways:
- • PSE WEB-SITE. A link to the Meeting Web-site will be established. A summary of the objectives of the meeting and key contact details will be posted. Other information as requested by the Organiser can be posted.
- • SCIENTIFIC JOURNALS. The Meeting will be announced in the journal Phytochemistry.
- • MEETINGS DATABASES. The Meetings are announced in several International Databases (ICCA DATA; WORLD MEETINGS PUBLICATIONS; O-TECH International; Conference Listing Calendar; DIS EVENT).
- • INFORMING and LIASING with other Societies (American Society of Pharmacognosy; Phytochemical Society of North America; Groupe Polyphenols; Gesellschaft für Arzneipflanzenforschung (GA); Regional Botanical or Phytochemical Societies).
- • SENDING OUT BY ANNUAL MAILING (usually two months prior to the Annual General Meeting usually held in April/May) printed information about the Meeting to all PSE members.
In addition, the Organiser should advertise the meeting as soon as possible by:
- • Establishing and keeping up-to-date a dedicated web-site with all preliminary details, links to other sites etc. Help can be provided be the PSE Web-site Manager.
- • Contacting relevant other societies to include the meeting in their announcements
- • Advertising in scientific journals
- • Informing colleagues in the scientific field of the Meeting
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- 3. ARRANGING THE PROGRAMME
3.1 TIME SCHEDULE
TWO YEARS before the meeting.
- • Initiate the programme by:
- Setting up a Scientific Committee. This should be international and should include representatives from several European Countries, the PSE Liaison Officer and at least one other member of the PSE Committee.
- Setting up a local Organising Committee. It is advised to delegate the different tasks to members of this committee at an early stage of planning.
- Agree approximate dates with the PSE Committee.
- • Inviting speakers:
- The choice of speakers is largely that of the Organisers, although the PSE and Scientific Committees can often help with suggestions.
- - It is important to ensure that the programme is balanced in:
- Covering the full range of the topic in the field of the meeting
- Including speakers drawn from wide geographical origins but with a predominance of European countries.
- It should be made clear to speakers that:
- - They are expected to provide a manuscript of their presentation for publication in Phytochemistry Reviews at the time of the meeting
- - Their travel expenses will not normally be paid by the meeting. Expenses can be offered by the Organiser, who will then be responsible for raising the necessary funds.
EIGHTEEN MONTHS before the meeting.
- • The Organiser will need to present to the PSE Committee (in person or via the Liaison Officer)
- - the preliminary programme with proposed dates and location
- - a list of invited speakers with the titles of their presentations
- - a preliminary budget, including the proposed registration fee and accommodation costs. Assistance with preparing the budget will be provided by the Treasurer on request.
- - a list of suggested sponsors to whom to apply for financial support. The Liaison Officer can assist with this.
- - details of the website
- - a short summary (about 100 words) of the conference to be presented on the PSE page in Phytochemistry. This summary should be sent electronically to PSE Chair-person.
- • Prepare the "First Announcement" of the meeting. This should give an outline of the objectives of the meeting, keynote speakers, dates, location and a pre-registration reply card
- - send the "First Announcement" to the PSE Liaison Officer for transmission to the Meetings Secretary (no later than January of the year before the meeting). Supply an electronic copy or printed copies if in colou
or
- - obtain a set of printed labels of the members' addresses from the Membership Secretary via the Liaison Officer and use these to mail your printed information to all PSE members.
- • Prepare the "Poster" of the meeting. Transfer this to the Membership Secretary via the Liaison Officer: it will be e-mailed to all members.
- • The Organisers are advised to apply for additional financial funding for their Meeting at national, European or other funding agencies.
ONE YEAR before the meeting.
- • Present to the PSE Liaison Officer for presentation to the PSE Committee:
- - A complete meeting schedule, including
- - Final dates and location of the meeting
- - The full list of intended lecturers and the titles of their presentations
- - the registration form including cost of registration
- - the accommodation form with costs
- - The logistics of the meeting, including meals availability, accessing the site, excursions.
- • Send full list of intended lecturers and the titles of their presentations to the Editor-in-Chief of Phytochemistry Reviews.
- • Obtain the Instructions for Authors for the contributions to Phytochemistry Reviews from Kluwer and send them to all speakers contributing to this journal.
At this point that the Committee might request you to come to a PSE Committee meeting.
- • Prepare the "Second Announcement" including the dead-lines for abstract submission, registration and payment, registration and accommodation forms and instructions for the preparation of Abstracts and Posters. Be sure that all this information is also available on your Meeting's web-site. Don't forget to include information on PSE Travel Bursaries and how to apply for them. Send out the "Second Announcement" to all interested persons.
NINE MONTHS before the meeting:
- • By this point, the meeting logistics should be established. You will be asked to make a final report, which includes:
- - A detailed programme of the meeting (order of presentations, poster sessions, place and number of short oral presentations, prize presentation sessions, PSE Annual General Meeting (if applicable)…)
- - Update on registrations and pre-registrations received
- - Update on offers of sponsorship received or pending reply
THREE MONTHS before the meeting
- • Select additional short oral presentations from the submitted abstracts and inform the respective authors about your decision.
- • Prepare the final program, present it to your PSE Liaison Officer and place it on your meetings web-site.
- • Be sure that detailed information on the exact place of the event including address, fax and telephone numbers and e-mail addresses (if applicable) as well as a description "How to reach the meeting's place" is placed on the meeting's web-site.
3.2 JOINT MEETINGS
It is increasingly frequent for Societies to hold joint meetings. While on balance this is beneficial as it brings the meeting to the attention of a wider group of people, it can also lead to conflicts of interest. If a joint meeting is envisaged, it is important to inform the PSE Committee at the earliest possible stage and make clear the following points:
- • Who will be responsible for publishing the meeting proceedings
- • How any financial loss or residue will be partitioned between the participating Societies
3.3 FRAMEWORK OF THE MEETING
The normal duration of a meeting is three full days of lectures and posters. At times this may be extended to four or five days, notably
- • when it is a joint meeting involving other Societies
- • when it is a joint meeting involving other European Societies at which the other Society is fully responsible for one or two days of sessions
- • when the meeting involves a half or full-day break for excursions of scientific interest to the conferees.
The usual format of the meeting is to have:
- • Around 15 plenary lectures of 30-45 minutes duration
- • An appropriate number of short oral presentations (15 or 20 minutes) preferably by younger researchers. These are normally selected by the Organising Committee from among the abstracts submitted for poster presentation.
- • Poster sessions. Posters, if possible, should be displayed for the whole duration of the meeting as they act as a good focal point for meeting other attendees. Poster sessions should have preferred time slots in the meeting's program.
The meeting is normally opened and closed by the Chairperson of the PSE or their representative. Time for this should be allowed in the programme. The Chairman or their representative will be present throughout the meeting to assist with informing attendees about the PSE and future PSE events.
Organisers are requested to provide free registration and accommodation for the PSE Chairperson.
Organisers are requested to allow for the following events in their timetables:
- • During the spring meeting, the PSE holds its Annual General Meeting
- • During the autumn meeting (normally), the PSE–Pierre-Fabre Award for that year is likely to be presented. This requires a 60 minute slot (15 minutes prize presentation followed by a lecture of 45 minutes duration)
- • During the spring and autumn meetings, the PSE Committee Meetings are normally held. For this purpose the organisers are requested to organise a meeting room and accommodation for PSE Committee Members. Please contact the PSE General Secetary for details.
Organisers are requested to ensure that PSE promotional material is included in the conference bags and a poster board is available for the Society to display promotional material.
3.4 ACCOMMODATION AND MEALS
Accommodation and meals must always be costed separately from the registration costs and no ‘charge’ for providing either of these should be made by the organisers. The Organising Committee must make it clear that they are not themselves providing accommodation or meals but are simply acting as an agent for the appropriate providers. This point is particularly important, as failure to do so could render the Meeting liable to pay service tax (VAT, TTC, Mehrwertsteuer, etc.) on the costs of meals and accommodation. If the Organiser wishes to charge a single all-inclusive fee, then they must ensure that the meal and accommodation components can be identified and separately invoiced if necessary.
The simplest option is for Organisers to use the direct booking service for accommodation and meals usually provided by the conference centre, University conference office, local Tourist Office etc.
3.5 PUBLICATION
The PSE is obliged to publish the conference proceedings in Phytochemistry Reviews.
It is important that you edit a volume reporting this meeting. Please contact the Editor-in-Chief Rob Verpoorte for details (VERPOORT@Chem.LeidenUniv.nl).
3.6 PSE TRAVEL AWARDS
The PSE usually makes available up to six travel awards (250 € each) for PhD students or Post-Doctoral scientists (in their first postdoctoral position) actively participating in the meeting. The Organisers should include information on the possibility to apply for these travel bursaries in their meeting's announcements and invite appropriate persons to apply for the travel bursaries and follow the protocol for their award as outlined in the PSE TRAVEL BURSARIES document, which is provided by the PSE Liaison Officer and is available on the PSE web-site.
4. FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR PSE SYMPOSIA.
The Organising Committee of a PSE symposium is required to produce a budget that breaks even. The budget must be submitted to the PSE Liaison Officer at least 18 months before the meeting, since it has to be approved by the PSE Committee before the announcement of the registration details for the meeting. Approval of the budget leads to several benefits, all of which will be lost if a satisfactory budget is not produced.
It is usual for the Society to assume reasonable financial responsibility for its symposia, but it will only underwrite losses if the meeting is organised in accordance with the policies of the Society and if prior approval is obtained for the budget. Failure to meet these conditions could lead to a situation in which the Organising Committee is itself financially liable for a loss-making meeting. It is also usual to share the risk equally in the case of joint meetings, but this needs to be formally established with the other bodies involved and the agreement should be supplied with the budget.
After approval of the budget by the Treasurer and at the request of the Local Organisers, the PSE can make available a loan of 1000 ₤ to meet the initial costs of organising a conference (e.g. first circular, pre-conference travelling, web page, office supplies, etc.). The loan must be paid back in full to the PSE within one year after the conference.
The registration fees for the meeting should be fixed in the light of the following:
- • The PSE has always had a policy of keeping the costs of attending its symposia as low as possible, and so fees should be kept to the minimum level necessary to break even.
- • The registration fee for PSE members should always be less than that for non-members, and there should be special reduced fee for bona fide students. Retired and unemployed members of the Society should pay the student rate.
- • The registration fee should include 30 Euros per full fee (member or non-member) or 15 Euros for the reduced fee. This levy will be transferred directly to the PSE. It contributes to the central running costs of the Society and it allows the PSE to keep its subscription rate at very low level. In the case of joint meetings the levy should be reduced in line with the agreement on financial liability.
- • The registration fee is not intended to cover international travel expenses of the speakers. Experience suggests that many of the speakers at PSE symposia have access to travel funds and it is PSE policy not to inflate the registration fee to cover an expense that can be easily met by the speakers themselves. Accordingly the registration fee should be set at a level that will only cover the accommodation and other expenses of the speakers at the meeting itself. If the Organising Committee wishes to cover the travel expenses, the funds must be raised from other sources than the registration fee
Further advice on setting the registration fee, and on the policies that govern the financial affairs of the Society, is available from the Treasurer at any time and the Organisers of a PSE symposium should consult the PSE Treasurer at an early stage in the planning the budget of the meeting.
Student bursaries: After approval of the budget by the Treasurer, the PSE will make available to the Local Organisers up to1250 €, earmarked for student bursaries (maximum bursary 250 €).
Any surplus of a meeting can be used, at the discreation of the local organisers, to provide more bursaries to students to cover registration fees and/or to meet the costs of travel/accommodation. The use of surplus to pay bursaries must be clearly outlined in the final balance sheet of the meeting.
- • Within six months of the end of the meeting, the Organising Committee must send the Treasurer: (i) the PSE levy from the registration fees; and (ii) a preliminary set of accounts.
- • Within 1 year or after the publication of the special volume of Phytochemistry Reviews , the Organiser is required to provide a final balance sheet for the meeting.
- • Any surplus on the account should be transferred to the PSE: in the case of joint meetings this should be divided in the proportion to the original agreement on financial responsibility. If the meeting makes a loss, then the Organising Committee should provide an explanation and they should make a formal request to the Treasurer of the Society to cover the deficit. In the case of joint meetings this should be divided in the proportion to the original agreement on financial responsibility
LIABILITY
The Organiser must ensure that the meeting and the meeting venue are fully insured for all third part liability. It should be made clear on the registration form that neither the PSE nor the Organising Committee can be responsible for personal liability in connection with attendance or participation in the symposium. Similarly, it must be made clear to speakers and everyone attending the meeting that they are responsible for their own travel and personal accident insurance.
5. CONTACTS
The main contact between the Organiser and the PSE Committee is through the PSE Liaison Officer who will be appointed by the PSE Committee. However, for some aspects of the organisation you may need to contact directly the PSE Officers listed below.
PSE CHAIRPERSON |
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Prof. Dr. Maike Petersen |
Institut für Pharmazeutische Biologie, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Deutschhausstr. 17 A, D-35037 Marburg, Germany |
Tel: ++49.6421.2825821
Fax: ++40.6421.2825828
E-mail:
petersen@mailer.uni-marburg.de
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MEETINGS SECRETARY |
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Dr. CristinaGarcia-Viguera
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CEBAS -CSIC,
Lab. Fitoquimica.
Dept.Cienc. y Tecnol. Aliment.
PO Box 164, ES-30100 Espinardo Murcia, Spain |
Tel: ++34.968.396 304
Fax: ++34.968.396 213
E-Mail: cgviguera@cebas.csis.es
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GENERAL SECRETARY |
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Prof. Dr. Wieslaw Oleszek |
Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation, Dept. of Biochemistry, ul. Czartoryskich 8, PL-24-100 Pulawy, Poland |
Tel: ++48.81.886 34 21
Fax: ++48.81.886 45 47
E-mail: wo@iung.pulawy.pl
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TREASURER |
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Dr. Randolph Arroo
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De Montfort University
The Gateway
Natural Product Research
Leicester LE1 9BH
United Kingdom |
Tel: ++44.116 250 6386
Fax: ++44.116 257 7287
E-Mail: rrjarroo@dmu.ac.uk |
PSE MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY |
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Dr. Simon Gibbons |
University of London, School of Pharmacy, Centre for Pharmacognosy, 29-39 New Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX, United Kingdom |
Tel: ++ 44 207 753 5913
Fax: ++ 44 207 753 5909
E-mail: Simon.Gibbons@ulsop.ac.uk
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PSE PROCEEDINGS EDITOR |
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Prof. Dr. Robert Verpoorte
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Division of Pharmacognosy
Leiden/Amsterdam Center for Drug Research
P.O. Box 9502, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands |
Tel: +31-71-5274510,
Fax: +31-71-5274511
E-mail: VERPOORT@Chem.LeidenUniv.nl
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PSE WEBSITE MANAGER |
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Dr. Randolph Arroo
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De Montfort University
The Gateway
Natural Product Research
Leicester LE1 9BH
United Kingdom |
Tel: ++44.116 250 6386
Fax: ++44.116 257 7287
E-Mail: rrjarroo@dmu.ac.uk |
